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As I wrote about yesterday, Marriott Bonvoy® and MGM Rewards announced the benefits that members of each program will soon be able to enjoy. World of Hyatt and MGM Rewards were partners for almost a decade and while some used Las Vegas properties as a way to game the system and earn Globalist status easier (I never did this), the benefits with the old deal seem much better.
Former Benefits for World of Hyatt Members
One of the benefits that I found most valuable while World of Hyatt and MGM Rewards were partners was the matching of status to MGM’s program. This was devalued through the years and when the partnership began, I received Platinum status. This was then upped to Noir status, which offered perks like dedicated lounge check-ins, limo rides, and the ability to cut the taxi and buffet lines (Platinum can also cut the taxi line and Pearl and up is able to bypass most of the guests headed to the buffet. Status levels were dropped and the highest level offered was Gold towards the end of the partnership (regardless of whether you held Explorist or Globalist status).
World of Hyatt members earned five base points per dollar spent at MGM properties. Those with elite status earned the same points bonuses offered when staying at Hyatt hotels. Discoverist members got a 10% bonus, Explorist members got a 20% bonus, and Globalist members got a 30% bonus.
- MGM stays generally count toward World of Hyatt’s global promotions, and spending also qualifies toward lifetime World of Hyatt Globalist status
Other benefits included:
- Access to priority check-in
- Room upgrades subject to availability (excluding suites)
- Priority reservations for restaurants and entertainment
- Room discounts
- Waived resort fees
- Discounts at MGM retail outlets
The most valuable benefit for Gold members was the waived resort fees. These could sometimes cost more than the room at lower-end properties (like the Luxor or Excalibur).
Benefits for Marriott Bonvoy® Members
There are no status matches for members of the Marriott Bonvoy® program. Benefits mirror some of what Marriott loyalists are used to receiving when staying at hotels under the hotelier’s umbrella, but in many cases they’re watered down. Here are the benefits by tier:
Silver Elite
- 10% Marriott Bonvoy® bonus points on qualifying stays
Gold Elite
- 25% Marriott Bonvoy® bonus points on qualifying stays
- Welcome gift of 500 Marriott Bonvoy® points per stay
Platinum Elite
- 50% Marriott Bonvoy® bonus points on qualifying stays
- Enhanced room upgrades, based upon availability
- Priority check-in
- Complimentary 2:00 PM late checkout (based upon availability)
- Welcome gift of 1,000 Marriott Bonvoy® points per stay or $15 food & beverage credit per night of stay
Titanium Elite
- 75% Marriott Bonvoy® bonus points on qualifying stays
- Enhanced room upgrades (based upon availability)
- Priority check-in
- Complimentary 2:00 PM late checkout (based upon availability)
- Welcome gift of 1,000 Marriott Bonvoy® points per stay or $15 food & beverage credit per night of stay
Ambassador Elite
- 75% Marriott Bonvoy® bonus points on qualifying charges
- Waived resort fees
- One suite upgrade at a Las Vegas hotel per year (up to a three-night stay)
- Enhanced room upgrades (based upon availability)
- Complimentary 1:00 PM early check-in and 4:00 PM late checkout (based upon availability)
- Welcome gift of 1,000 Marriott Bonvoy® points per stay or $15 food & beverage credit per night of stay
- Complimentary self-parking
- Priority access on dining and check-in
- 15% retail discounts
As you can see, the most valuable perk, waived resort fees, is only being given to Ambassador members. I guess it’s about time Marriott tried to further differentiate Titanium and Ambassador. This is a huge omission for lower-tier members and Marriott is saying that this is only guaranteed for 2024. This benefit could disappear next year. The suite upgrade, early check-in, late checkout, and complimentary self parking are also caveated as only being guaranteed for this year. Let’s see if these are stripped in 2025 and further watered down.
With World of Hyatt, you could earn points and nights for booking though Hyatt or MGM. With Marriott, you’ll only earn these if you book through Marriott.com or the app (even if you find better rates with MGM directly, you’ll need to pay more to earn your points and nights).
Anthony’s Take: While points earning and bonuses are on a par with Hyatt, we need to see what these properties will cost when redeeming Marriott Bonvoy® points. We’ll also need to see which benefits remain in 2025. The status matches offered to World of Hyatt members were much richer, but I think many people (many bloggers, especially) abused the system and used MGM Resorts as a way to boost their status with Hyatt instead of actually spending more with the Las Vegas hotels as the partnership intended.
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